Overview
- The remains, discovered in a Santa Cruz County riverbed in 1995, have been identified as Laura O’Malley, a 13-year-old girl missing from Queens, New York, since 1975.
- The identification was achieved through advanced genetic genealogy conducted in collaboration with Othram, a forensic DNA analysis company.
- Initial DNA testing confirmed the remains were female, and carbon dating in 2019 suggested the individual was born in the 1960s and died between 1977 and 1984.
- Authorities are still investigating the circumstances of O’Malley’s arrival in California and the cause of her death, which remain unknown.
- The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has urged anyone with information about the case to come forward as the investigation continues.